Page 11

ELEVEN

DRAKEN

D raken paced the length of the ornate boardroom. Morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting large shadows across the polished oak table where Scorpio and Chuck sat reviewing reports.

“The pack’s growing restless,” Chuck said, shuffling through a stack of papers. “Three more complaints this morning about the Luna’s absence.”

Draken’s jaw tightened. The weight of his pack’s expectations pressed down on him like a physical force. “They’ll have to wait.”

“With respect, Alpha,” Scorpio leaned forward, “they’ve been waiting.”

“I’m aware.” Draken’s voice carried an edge that made both men straighten in their seats. The pull toward Lorelei thrummed through his body, a constant reminder of their unmated status. “But she barely understands what a Luna is, let alone the responsibilities that come with it.”

“That’s why you sent Marybeth?” Chuck asked.

“Yes.” Draken paused by the window, watching a group of pack members cross the courtyard below. His people. His responsibility. “But teaching her our ways won’t change what she is.”

“Human,” Scorpio supplied quietly.

The word hung in the air like smoke. Draken’s wolf bristled at the reminder, even as his heart rate quickened thinking of Lorelei’s soft skin under his hands during their training sessions.

“The pack hasn’t exactly welcomed humans with open arms,” Chuck said, scratching his neck. “Remember last year’s border dispute?”

“When those hikers wandered onto our land?” Draken snorted. “The council nearly had a collective stroke.”

“And now their Luna is human.” Scorpio tapped his fingers on the table. “It’s quite the turn of events.”

Draken resumed his pacing, his muscles coiled with tension. The irony wasn’t lost on him – he who had always insisted on maintaining distance from humans now found himself inexplicably drawn to one. Her earth magic called to him like a siren’s song, growing stronger each day they trained together. But it wasn’t just her power that attracted him. It was her quick mind, her determination, the way she bit her lip when concentrating on controlling her abilities.

“The pack won’t understand,” he muttered, more to himself than his advisors.

He braced his hands on the boardroom table, his muscles tense beneath his tailored shirt. “What do you suggest I do about this situation?”

“You have two choices.” Scorpio’s voice carried the weight of years of friendship and counsel. “Send her away, tell the pack there’s no Luna like you originally planned?—“

“No.” The word ripped from Draken’s throat before he could stop it. His wolf howled in agreement. The mere thought of Lorelei leaving made his chest constrict.

“Or,” Scorpio continued with a knowing look, “accept that you want her in your life and deal with the consequences.”

Chuck leaned back in his chair. “The pack’s views on humans won’t change overnight.”

“They’ll have to.” Draken straightened, authority radiating from his stance. The memory of Lorelei’s determined face flashed through his mind. “I won’t send her away.”

“Then you need to introduce her,” Scorpio said. “Soon. The longer you wait, the more resistance you’ll face.”

Draken’s wolf prowled close to the surface, protective and possessive. “The pack will accept her because I command it.”

“And if they don’t?” Chuck asked skeptically.

“Then they can challenge me in person.” Draken’s lips curved into a dangerous smile. “Though I doubt any will, considering how much stronger I’ve become since finding her.”

Scorpio chuckled. “Nothing like a mate bond to supercharge an alpha’s powers and cockiness.”

“Even an incomplete bond,” Draken remarked, remembering how he’d stopped himself from marking her. His wolf had fought him on that decision, but he wouldn’t mate her until she understood exactly what that meant. “I’ll introduce her to the pack. Tonight.”

“Tonight?” Both men straightened abruptly in surprise.

“Why wait?” Draken’s wolf hummed with satisfaction at the decisive action. “The sooner the pack understands she’s here to stay, the better.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do this introduction?” Chuck asked.

Draken’s footsteps halted mid-pace as an idea struck him. His wolf practically shouted with delight at the thought. “We’ll throw a party.”

Chuck choked on his coffee. “A party?”

“Yes, a formal party.” Draken’s tone held the authority that had led his pack for centuries. “In the grand ballroom. I want crystal chandeliers, fresh flowers, the works.”

Scorpio’s eyebrows shot up. “You want to organize a full formal event in...” He checked his watch. “Less than twelve hours?”

“I want the other five princes here too.” Draken strode to the window, energy thrumming through his veins. “Send word immediately.”

“The other princes?” Chuck exchanged a worried glance with Scorpio. “That’s quite a statement, Alpha.”

“Exactly.” Draken turned, a dangerous smile playing on his lips. “I want everyone to know about my Luna. My beautiful, powerful, human Luna.”

The word human echoed off the stone walls. Both advisors tensed.

“This will cause quite a stir in the supernatural community,” Scorpio said carefully. “The other princes might not?—“

“Let them stir.” Draken’s wolf surged forward, protective and proud. “I want Kelly to take our best seamstress to Lorelei immediately. Something elegant. Something that makes a statement.”

“What color?” Chuck asked, already typing on his phone.

Draken thought of Lorelei’s earth magical powers, how they sang to his own power. “Green. Deep green with gold accents. Like the woods at twilight.”

“You’re really going all in on this,” Scorpio observed, his pen hovering over his notepad.

“My Luna deserves nothing less.” Draken’s chest swelled with pride. “Make sure the kitchen prepares her favorite desserts. And have the gardens lit with fairy lights. She mentioned liking them the other night.”

Chuck was typing furiously. “Anything else?”

“Yes.” Draken’s voice dropped lower, letting his alpha authority seep through. “Make sure everyone understands – this isn’t just an introduction. This is a declaration. Lorelei is my Luna, human or not. Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me directly.”

His wolf growled in agreement, already anticipating any challenges. Let them come. With Lorelei’s powers amplifying his own, he’d never felt stronger.

“Well,” Scorpio said, standing and straightening his jacket. “We better get moving if we’re going to pull this off by tonight.”

The heavy boardroom door clicked shut behind Chuck and Scorpio, leaving Draken alone with his thoughts. His wolf practically pranced with excitement at their plans for the evening. Electric energy coursed through his veins, making it impossible to stand still.

“Let them try to challenge this,” he muttered, rolling his shoulders. The mere thought of anyone opposing Lorelei as his Luna made his muscles coil with protective instinct.

He strode through the castle’s corridors toward his private gym, his footsteps echoing off the ancient stone walls. The familiar scent of leather and steel greeted him as he pushed open the heavy oak door. Sunlight streamed through high windows, warming the training mats and gleaming off the weights.

Draken stripped off his dress shirt, tossing it aside. His reflection caught his eye in the mirrored wall – he looked different. Younger somehow, more alive. All because of her.

The memory of Lorelei’s fingers trailing down his chest made his skin tingle. How her eyes lit up when she successfully manipulated the earth around her.

“Mine,” his wolf growled as he grabbed a heavy weight bar.

Working through his usual routine, Draken’s mind wandered to tonight’s celebration. He pictured Lorelei in an elegant green gown, standing proudly beside him. His Luna. His mate. Human or not, she completed him in ways he never expected.

“To hell with tradition,” he said between sets, his muscles burning pleasantly. “To hell with anyone who objects.”

The other princes would arrive, expecting the usual formalities. Instead, they’d witness him upending centuries of supernatural traditions. The thought made him grin.

Sweat dripped down his chest as he moved to the punching bag. Each strike emphasized his certainty. He’d waited centuries for his Luna. Now that he’d found her, nothing would keep them apart – not his pack’s prejudices, not other alphas’ opinions, not even his own initial doubts.

“You’ve changed me, little human,” he murmured, landing a particularly satisfying combination. “Made me stronger. Better.”

Tonight would change everything. And for the first time in his long existence, change didn’t feel like a threat. It felt like freedom.

Draken soon finished his last set of pull-ups, his muscles burning pleasantly from the intense workout. His wolf prowled, restless with anticipation for tonight’s celebration. Grabbing a towel, he wiped the sweat from his chest and headed toward his master suite.

The hot shower eased the tension in his shoulders as steam filled the massive bathroom. He let his mind wander to Lorelei, picturing how she’d look tonight in the green gown he’d ordered.

“All mine,” he murmured, running shampoo through his hair.

The thought of showing her off to the other princes made his chest puff with pride. Let them see what a human Luna could be.

He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist just as his phone buzzed on the marble counter. Chuck’s name flashed across the screen.

The message made his blood run cold: “Luna collapsed while with Marybeth.”

“Fuck!” Draken’s fist slammed into the counter.

He threw on the first clothes he could grab – black athletic pants and a white Henley – not bothering to dry his hair. Water dripped down his neck as he sprinted through the castle’s corridors, his bare feet silent on the marble floors.

His wolf clawed at his insides desperate to reach their mate. Had someone attacked her? Was it the strain of her new powers? Why hadn’t he stayed with her today instead of sending Marybeth?

“Status update,” he barked into his phone.

Chuck’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Still unconscious. Doctor’s with her now.”

Draken’s jaw clenched as he took the grand staircase three steps at a time. “And Marybeth?”

“Says they were just talking about pack stuff when it happened. No warning signs.”

The castle staff pressed themselves against the walls as he passed, heads bowed in submission to their alpha’s obvious distress.

His mind raced with possibilities, each worse than the last. Had he pushed her too hard with training? Was her human body struggling to contain such powerful magic? The thought made his chest constrict painfully.

“I should have been there,” he growled, rounding another corner at full speed.